His children never met him

but, apparently, they all resembled him.

And for their part they loved him as they felt they should,

secure in the knowledge that he also loved them

(from the cryptic and often contradictory messages

he provided them with via certain old blokes,

who claimed familiarity with him from back in the day).

During his absence, the children suffered horridly

and were often ravaged by the great evils of the world.

Yet he never came to their assistance,

remaining all the while aloof and desperately,

achingly loved.

What a crap father,

holy or otherwise.